White House Conference on Aging Releases Final Report

by Administrator
(Littleton)

The White House Conference on Aging has released its final report from a year-long dialogue with older AmericansLink Icon, families, caregivers, and advocates that resulted in a July 13, 2015 conference highlighting key issues in this arena. Four common themes emerged as particularly important to older Americans: retirement security, healthy aging, long-term services and supports, and elder justice, according to the White House.

As most Americans continue to live longer, healthier lives, there needs to be better collaboration between the public and private sectors at all levels to ensure older adults have the opportunity to live with dignity and embrace life, reads the report. Over the next decade, the nation must acknowledge the nation’s demographic reality of an age wave and offer support to both paid and unpaid caregivers. “…A growing demand for professional caregivers is expected, which raises issues of recruiting and retaining the direct-care workforce,” according to the report. Additionally, it recommends that advocates take advantage of technology with a focus on web-based technologies, robotics, and mobile devices to help older adults access the services they need.